Bodyguard Truck Accessories is moving from Tigertown to Paris, and the Paris Economic Development Corp. plans to help.
PEDC approved an economic incentive agreement with Bodyguard during a board meeting earlier this week.
“The PEDC Board and staff has been working with Bodyguard for nearly two years, and all the pieces finally fell into place,” PEDC Director Steven Gilbert said. “One of their biggest challenges was finding a suitable building for the company’s current and future growth plan.”
Building renovation and equipment installation will begin immediately and the company plans to be operational in the new location by the end of the year.
The economic development corporation has agreed to provide an infrastructure improvement grant of up to $227,750 for costs associated with the facilities located on FM 79 in Northwest Paris, plus a 24-month, $100,000 secured loan guarantee.
The incentive agreement also includes $75,000 for new job creation. PEDC will provide new employee training reimbursement of up to $21,500 over the five-year term of the agreement.
Bodyguard plans to employ 15 employees at their Paris facility at the end of year one of their operation, with the goal of growing to over 40 employees in the next five years. Those include skilled jobs in areas like fabrication, welding, and powder coating.
“Bodyguard is a solid local company with a track record of steady growth over the years of their operation dating back to the late 1990s. We believe in local small businesses and entrepreneurs, and especially those with a high-quality product that exports from Paris to markets in the US and Canada, and those providing highly skilled, well-paid manufacturing jobs to the citizens of Paris and Lamar County. We look forward to the continued success of Bodyguard Truck Accessories.”
Bodyguard was one of the first tenants to occupy the Red River Region Business Incubator, and they also received assistance from the Small Business Development Center operated by Paris Junior College.
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